A logo for Carthage MAGI-Lab featuring a black and white image of a tophat with flames rising in red, and text indicating a focus on magic, attentional guidance, and ichnochirography.
A man with short dark hair, smiling with slightly crooked teeth, wearing a black suit and a striped tie, against a plain light background.

Anthony Barnhart, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Tony Barnhart received his BA in Psychology from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois in 2004 and his Ph.D. from Arizona State University in 2013. He served as a lecturer at Northern Arizona University before joining the faculty at Carthage College in 2015. His research interests fall in the domains of word perception, attention, and the science of magic.

2025-2026 Lab Members

  • Smiling young woman with long hair and bangs, wearing a black jacket, at an indoor event.

    Grace Miller

    Grace is a Psychology and Criminal Justice double major. In the MAGI-Lab she is involved in research handwritten word perception. After Carthage she plans on continuing research or go into the criminal justice field.

  • A young woman with long, wavy brown hair and light skin smiling, standing against a brick wall.

    Camrin Nyara

    While working at Froedtert South Hospital as a patient support specialist, Cami pursues bachelors degrees in psychology and neuroscience. She aspires to attend graduate school to further her knowledge about the brain and its functioning in hopes of helping others. In the lab, Cami is exploring event segmentation and its impact on the experience of magic.

  • Smiling young woman with glasses and long blonde hair standing outdoors near a lake with trees in the background.

    Tara Schaalma

    Tara is a Psychology and Criminal Justice double major with a Political Science minor. In the MAGI-lab, she is involved in research that looks at the effects of visual and auditory stimuli on attention. After Carthage, she plans to go into the Criminal Justice field in a higher government agency.

  • Outline of a computer monitor and a keyboard.

    Jazzmyn Guzman

  • Black outline of a squirrel holding an acorn.

    Maggie Kolar

  • A black silhouette of a person with their arms up, standing inside a large open book.

    Ida Mathiassen

  • Black and white line drawing of a person with glasses and a hat.

    Lily Rende

MAGI Lab Alumni

Jessica Buhmann Alison Mackey Aleksandra Steinert Chelsea Breyer Marissa Vavra Flynn Castellanos
Isabel Montoya Mandy Ehlert Brandi Tennesen Anna Robertson Sabina Redzic Maggie Haberman
Michael Von Borstel Robin Hill Christina Dodd Cheyenne Duckert Gunnar Goetz Michaela Prall
Micala Giammarino Lizzie Wenzel Noah Griser Megan Hudecek Shelby Wilson Emily Furmanek
Madison Gliosci Oliver Duffy Dillon Krupa Matt Schuler Alyssa Ruediger Olivia Krahn-Bockhop
Lexington Fitzpatrick Jaime Utter Rheanna Weaver Chad Bolman Jessica Sendef Kaitlyn Richardson
Tailyn Ludwiczak Bennett Shebesta Anthony Ortigoza Ashley Lundell John Hamer Caitlin Powers
Jamie Serena Sara Sobczyk Sarah Tuchell Luke Ehlert